MoFi controversy

I could not care less about this brouhaha, as I have already said, but tomcy quoted the following above, from the MoFi website. "First and foremost, we only utilize first generation original master recordings as source material for our releases."  If I were a lawyer (g*d forbid) arguing this issue in court, I would take the position that DSD-encoded music is in the category of "recordings".  Therefore, there is no deception surrounding tape vs SACD or 4XSACD.  The deception is around the definition of "first generation original master recordings". I am actually quite confident that they are getting better results with their technique than they could hope to achieve with a true first generation master tape, where the music was captured on tape 20 and much more years ago. And that's why they do it.

There are any number of great sounding originals and reissues of “Sunday at the VV”, probably because the recording process must have been so well done and the results so superb.

Optimize. You seem to be stuck arguing from your own set of facts. But the omitted fact is that RBCDs suck compared to a high quality LP played on a "very good" system, and any critical listener can hear that. I’d say RBCD is only a cut above MP3. If this were not the case, we wouldn’t be where we are now, and there probably would not even be an Analog Forum. I am not arguing about hi-rez streaming or even SACDs here, but in your original diatribe you managed to leave out all the physical aspects of playing a CD, not to mention the limitations imposed by RBCD standards in and of themselves, whilst harping only on those related to playing an LP.

Now here I go contributing to exactly what I hoped would not become the subject of this thread, digital vs vinyl.  Sorry.

Optimize, you cannot possibly still be arguing that even RBCD, played on a home CDP, is superior to high quality vinyl reproduction. Can you?

My older, 80s and 90s, MoFi’s sure do not require treble attenuation. They’re excellent with no EQ, and though my ears are now ancient, they were not so old back when I first heard the LPs for the first time. But I have no rock and roll from that era and never would have invested in an "audiophile" rock and roll LP, owing to the contradiction in terms. Most of that stuff was recorded for 7-inch 45 rpm jukebox disc and sounds it. All I have are jazz LPs from that era, and they are still a treat to listen to. I do have one high end re-issue of Buddy Holly on Classic Records, I think. It’s a very high definition collection of several different low definition recordings, though I loved Buddy Holly.

Agree with Raul.

Too bad this is evolving into a digital vs analog debate.  It's a very tired topic and one that has been done to death.  By now, us old coots have all made our private choices and have well developed preferences that are unlikely to change.  But maybe that lets MoFi off the hook, which might be a good thing.  No matter how you slice the baloney, they have given us some great LPs that are uniquely excellent, along with some others of their production that are only "as good" as the best one can get from other sources, and still others that are inferior to the originals.  But their batting average is way above .500, and I've never bought one of their $125 re-issues.

What costs $125? You can by Mofi LPs for $35 and less, last time I looked, unless you’re referring to out of production re-issues which do sell for high prices owing only to the collector market. That’s not Mofi’s fault or intention. The vendor is up charging, not Mofi.

Please read Tre’s description of what’s going on; they are not selling “a vinyl pressing of an SACD”.

There is a long thread on this same subject over at Audio Asylum in the Vinyl forum. The guy who explains it best is Tre’, who is himself a recording engineer and a consummate audiophile. The best question and answer is between Tre’ and Flood2. As a big time vinylphile, all I care about is how does the final product sound. Most or all of my "original" Mofi’s are fantastic. None are bad sounding and none are warped or noticeably off center. In recent years, I have bought a few of the "new" Mofi’s, and some are a bit disappointing in SQ, certainly compared to the Mofi's marketed in the 90s and early 2000s. I really don’t care how they got that way.